Includes bibliographical references (pages 236-260) and indexes.

Part I. Introduction: 1. Introduction: the development of Johannine christology 2. A conflict setting and a distinctive Christology: setting the stage -- Part II. Jesus and God: 3. Are there 'two powers' in John? 4. God's equal or God's agent? (John 5) 5. 'I obey, therefore "I am"' (John 8.12-59) 6. 'You are Gods' -- but who are 'you'? (John 10.22-39) 7. In the bosom of the Father (John 1.1-18) 8. Conclusion to Part II -- Part III. Jesus, Moses and Torah: 9. The word and the glory (John 1.1-18) 10. Descent and ascent (John 3.1-21) 11. Bread from heaven (John 6) 12. Legitimating signs (John 9) 13. Conclusion to Part III -- Part IV. Other Issues and conclusion: 14. Other possible issues 15. Putting the pieces together 16. Conclusion.

The Gospel according to John presents Jesus in a unique way as compared with other New Testament writings. Scholars have long puzzled and pondered over why this should be. In this book, James McGrath offers a convincing explanation of how and why the author of the Fourth Gospel arrived at a Christological portrait of Jesus that is so different from that of other New Testament authors, and yet at the same time clearly has its roots in earlier tradition. McGrath suggests that as the author of this Gospel sought to defend his beliefs about Jesus against the objections brought by opponents, he developed and drew out further implications from the beliefs he inherited. The book studies this process using insights from the field of sociology which helps to bring methodological clarity to the important issue of the development of Johannine Christology.